Nursing clinical teaching is a valued and essential part of nursing education (Roberts & Glod, 2013) and, the clinical learning environment is central to nursing education (Madhavanpraphakaran, Shukri & Balachandran, 2014). Nurse preceptors play a significant role in the clinical education of nursing students and preceptorship is an effective approach to clinical education, assisting students to develop competence and confidence (Madhavanpraphakaran et al., 2014). Preceptors provide direct clinical instruction to students and nurse faculty support preceptors (Dahlke et al., 2016). But, preceptors may not have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide care based on best evidence (Ciliska et al., 2011).
Students have noted differences in what they learned at school and how a procedure is performed in real health care settings (Adelman-Mullally, Mulder, McCarter-Spalding, Hagler, Gaberson et al., 2013). Faculty members working with preceptors act as educational resource (Madhavanpraphakaran et al., 2014). Clinical faculty may observe unequal implementation and administrative support for evidence-based practice (EBP) among units and across settings in a health care organization (Hagler, Mays, Stillwell, Kastenbaum, Brooks et al., 2012). They need to play a significant role in nursing practice by collaborating with staff nurses and nurse preceptors to provide an optimal learning experience for undergraduate students (McClure & Black, 2013) and, to ensure nursing care is based on best practices.
Clinical faculty can demonstrate leadership skills through collaboration with the staff. Clinical faculty collaborating with nursing staff will enhance student learning and, satisfaction of both staff and students (Adelman-Mullally, et al., 2013). They have the potential to transform nursing units (Adelman-Mullally et al., 2013) by collaborating with staff nurses to ensure safe and quality nursing care. Clinical faculty can challenge the status quo in the clinical setting by providing information and suggestions about new evidence for change in nursing practice (Adelman-Mullally et al., 2013). Nursing students are expected to learn and provide evidence based care, they need to be guided by clinicians who believe in and implement EBP (Hagler, et al., 2012). It is necessary to expand nurse faculty roles in the clinical setting to address nursing care that are not congruent with current best practices in health care institutions.